3 questions to Ludovic Le Moan, CEO and co-founder of Sigfox

Although quite an unruly teenager during his days in the Mare-Rouge district of Le Havre, Ludovic Le Moan has now become the CEO and co-founder of Sigfox, a global network dedicated to connected objects.

On March 22, he was the guest of EM Normandie at the Container, the Digital Canteen in Le Havre, to meet actors in the digital eco-system and start-ups. His presence was in the wake of the L'Express Magazine Special Issue, ‘500 ans dans les yeux des havrais' , (500 years of history as seen by today's Le Havre inhabitants). There was a special 3-page feature on him in this special issue, edited by EM Normandie students under the framework of the Défi L'Express Grandes Ecoles 2017.

This is our own interview with this passionate entrepreneur, who was awarded the French Legion of Honour medal.

1. Your career path is amazing. How would you review it in a few words?

‘Above all, it is the result of meetings, great meetings! While I was taking a vocational certificate course as a Lathe & Milling Machine Operator, I was fortunate to be surrounded by teachers who not only believed in me, but also helped me to become confident in my capabilities. The flame was rekindled! I loved maths and physics, so I took up engineering studies at ENSIMAG; then all followed on from there. After a few years as a salaried employee, I embarked on the entrepreneurship venture by starting my first business in the years 2000, Anyware Technologies, which I was to sell 8 years later for € 13 million. That was a wonderful springboard that was to lead to Scoop-it, then Sigfox, in 2011. Being an entrepreneur has become my second nature, a way for me to challenge and fulfil myself! Sincerely, I do believe that to have been born in a somewhat modest social background eventually proved to be a strength. Admittedly, I didn't know the codes and didn't have the networks, but I had nothing to lose and above all, all to gain! ‘

2. What are you most proud of?

‘Without any hesitation, the fact I have gone up through all the layers of society while remaining true to my values. I still work seriously today, I'm humble, passionate, full of energy and enthusiasm. Transmitting my experience is also a great source of fulfilment and a way to thank my peers. By lecturing to associations, incubators or schools – as I recently did at EM Normandie', I try to disseminate an entrepreneurship culture, and above all to give the desire to surpass oneself and to push one's limits further.'

3. What message would you like to pass on to young people who wish to go into entrepreneurship today?

‘All is possible, but you must dare to dream to succeed! Admittedly, starting one's business is a difficult venture. You encounter moments of doubt, solitude, exhaustion and you must possess a great amount of resilience. But it is also an extremely enriching and stimulating experience from which you necessarily gain in stature. Entrepreneurship is a token, not always easy to handle I admit, but very often full of good surprises!'

No wonder then that Ludovic Le Moan was designated as the Most Preferred Personality in the Business, High-Tech & Finance World !